EcoRRAP Coral Demographic Data

This dataset provides information on coral survival and growth for eleven taxa at EcoRRAP sites across the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait (see SOP #14: Reef monitoring sampling methods | AIMS).This dataset was generated through the segmentation of coral colonies on EcoRRAP orthomosaics (EcoRRAP Benthic Orthomosaics - AIMS) using the software TagLab. Colonies of specific taxa were identified and digitised on orthomosaics generated from the first year of monitoring. Digitisation was either conducted manually or through the use of an AI classifier followed by manual review and verification. Colony segments were then transferred to the corresponding orthomosaic for the next time point and segments were refined to align with coral colony edges. Growth is recorded here as change in planar area of a colony between time points. This dataset also contains colonies whose species identification has been verified in the field by a coral taxonomist as well as colonies that have been sampled for genetic purposes.A subset of taxa have been uniformly digitised across all EcoRRAP sites, including: table Acropora (where possible, A. hyacinthus and A. cytherea were identified to species level), corymbose Acropora (where possible, A. millepora and A. tenuis were identified to species level), digitiate Acropora (where possible, A. humilis and A. gemmifera were identified to species level), Pocillopora verrucosa, Pocillopora damicornis, Stylophora pistillata, massive Porites (species complex of 7 Porites species), Goniastrea (where possible, G. edwardsi and G. retiformis were identified to species level), and Platygyra. Five additional taxa have been unformly digitised in the Central EcoRRAP cluster to investigate the 2022 bleaching event, however, these taxa have not been consistently digitised in other EcoRRAP sites. These additional taxa include staghorn Acropora, Seriatopora hystrix, Lobophyllia sp., encrusting Montipora, and Isopora sp. Data is currently available for four time points (three transitions) from 2021-2024. Data is available for each year of monitoring in the form of .csv and .shp files as well as in a joined form that links individual coral colonies across all time points. See summary stats document associated with this record for preliminary summary stats on the dataset.